Bolton-Est, Quebec (February 11, 2021) – Appalachian Corridor is happy to announce the protection in perpetuity of 124.58 hectares in Bolton-Est. The land is located in a mountainous area on the northern slope of Mount Place and contributes to the protection of a large forest massif of more than 26 km² in the region. Its conservation will allow to protect the habitat of several species at risk in Quebec and Canada.

“After an acquisition process that span more than four years with the sellers, we are very happy to achieve the creation of this protected area thanks to the essential commitment of our financial partners,” tells Mélanie Lelièvre, executive director for Appalachian Corridor. “We are grateful the owners chose the conservation route for their land because the property fits perfectly with our strategy to preserve rare remaining blocks of forest which are barely or not at all fragmented in southern Quebec.”

This map illustrates the strategic regional conservation efforts which are underway in order to consolidate the protected territories intended to create ecological corridors that are in harmony with the wildlife movements and increase the conservation of species at risk. (Appalachian Corridor)

Positive impact on the protection of many species at risk
Accessible from the chemin Bellevue in Bolton-Est, the land is located on the territory of one of Appalachian Corridor’s affiliate members, Conservation des vallons de la Serpentine (CVS). The land represents an undeniable ecological asset as part of the existing network of protected areas on the territory because it includes various forest types such as broad-leaved trees, mixed-wood and conifers, as well as permanent and intermittent streams, in addition to ponds, swamps, and bogs.

The ecological inventory conducted by Appalachian Corridor on the property confirmed the presence of many mammals such as the Canadian beaver, the white-tailed deer, the coyote, the red squirrel, the black bear, the American porcupine and the chipmunk. The assessment also identified 44 bird species present on the land, 14 of which are considered a priority by the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) of Environment and Climate Change Canada such as the Eastern wood-pewee, a specie of special concern in Canada because of the major decline experienced by its population. Biologists also confirmed the presence of a dozen amphibians and plant species which some are at risk in Quebec or in danger of extinction in Canada.

Left to right: Coyotte (Appalachian Corridor), Butternut (Appalachian Corridor), and Eastern wood-pewee (Jacques Bouvier).

“The species at risk on the property must be protected through concrete and sustained measures,” explains madame Lelièvre. “By perpetually protecting the environments where these species are found, and by improving the ecological connectivity between the various protected areas, we are able to restore and even improve the habitats required to ensure the sustainability of the ecosystems in place.”

Local collaboration and a common vision
To complete the acquisition of this property, Appalachian Corridor worked closely with CVS in order to further consolidate the network of protected land on their respective territories. Among other things, CVS initiated discussions with the owners and led a fundraising campaign with the local community to contribute to the transaction. Appalachian Corridor and CVS plan to build on this close collaboration in preparation for conservation and protection efforts in the future.

« CVS is delighted to add this important natural area to our growing network of perpetually protected lands,” says Joe Marino, CVS President. “By collaborating with Appalachian Corridor to protect natural territories in our region, we ensure an environment that is favourable to the health of our ecosystems and our community. We are very grateful that the many donors and members of our community who got behind this magnificent project.”

Essential financial participation of many partners
The total cost for the completion of this project is $822,000 including the acquisition of the land, all professional fees, and the establishment of a management fund.

This project was made possible thanks to the financial contributions of the Government of Canada through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP), funded by the Canada Nature Fund.

Appalachian Corridor also wishes to thank the following financial partners for their contributions to this project: the Government of Québec through the Projet de partenariat pour les milieux naturels (PPMN), the municipality of Bolton-Est, the Fondation de la faune du Québec, the donors who contributed to the CVS fundraising campaign, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Echo Fondation.

QUOTES

“I would like to congratulate Appalachian Corridor and Conservation des vallons de la Serpentine for their conservation achievement in our region. Through programs like the Canada Nature Fund’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program, we are making progress toward our goal of conserving a quarter of Canada’s land and a quarter of its oceans by 2025. Collaboration is essential to achieving this goal, and our government is proud to support the work of Appalachian Corridor and Conservation des vallons de la Serpentine through this program. They played a key role in ensuring the conservation of important wildlife habitat in the municipality of Bolton-Est.”
– Lyne Bessette, Member of Parliament for Brome–Missisquoi

“Conservation organisations such as Appalachian Corridor and Conservation des vallons de la Serpentine represent precious allies for the creation of protected areas on private land in southern Quebec. We are continuing our actions to protect new areas following the attainment of our objective in 2020 to protect 17% of the land territory and 10% of our marine territory. Through the Projet de partenariat pour les milieux naturels, to which the ministry allocated a grant of more than $13M, the Government of Quebec supports the protection of natural areas such as the one announced today. Congratulations to the two organisations involved in this project!”
– Benoit Charette, Minister of the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change and Minister Responsible for the Laval Region

“I wish to express a heartfelt thanks to the organizations Appalachian Corridor and Conservation des vallons de la Serpentine who worked in close collaboration to achieve this important conservation project in Bolton-Est. This is an important accomplishment that will inevitably have a positive ecological impact on wildlife and plant biodiversity. Each protected hectare is a victory for future generations and allows us to advance with our ambitious goals of improving the consolidation between natural environments, human health, and the economic vitality of a region like ours!”
– Gilles Bélanger, Member of Orford and Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier (high-speed Internet)

“We would like to thank Corridor appalachien and Conservation des vallons de la Serpentine, as well as all those who have carried out this extensive work to achieve their vision: the protection of our precious nature to ensure its sustainability. Without a doubt, the citizens of Bolton-Est join me in saluting all your efforts to preserve the diversity of fauna and flora in this region so dear to us. You are positive leaders essential to the well-being of our community, bravo!”
– Joan Westland Eby, mayor of Bolton-Est

HIGHLIGHTS

• Appalachian Corridor acquires the 124.58-hectare land located on the chemin Bellevue area in Bolton-Est and protects it in perpetuity.
• This land was zoned white.
• The global project cost is $822 000.
• In addition to those stated above, many other mammals are present on the land including the moose, the otter, the pékan, the bobcat and the mink.
• Among the bird species residing on the land and considered a priority by the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) by Environment and Climate Change Canada as part of its Bird Conservation Strategy for region 14of Quebec : Forêt septentrionale de l’Atlantique, are the white-throated sparrow, the American Bittern, the black-billed cuckoo, the brown creeper, the veery, the black-throated green warbler, the black-throated blue warbler, the overbird, the American redstart, the Black-and-White warbler, the Northern flicker, the Western Wood-Pewee, the purple heron, and the Blue-headed vireo. Moreover, the Western Wood-Pewee is one of the species of special concern in Canada and is designated as such because of the major decline of its populations.
• The ecological sampling completed on the property confirmed the presence of a dozen species of amphibians including the pickerel frong (Lithobates palustris) and the four-toed salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum), both likely of being threatened or vulnerable in Quebec.
• With respect to plant species, the Appalachian Corridor team discovered on the property species such as the butternut (Juglans cinerea), designated as a dissapearing species in Canada and susceptible to be designated as threatened or vulnerable in Quebec, the narrow-leaved spleenwort (Homalosorus pycnocarpos), a fern susceptible of being sesignated as threatened or vulnerable in Quebec, as well as the five-fingered fern (Adiantum pedatum), the Canada wild ginger (Asarum canadense), the two-leaved toothwort (Cardamine diphylla) and the ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) which are all designated as vulnerable to harvest in Quebec due to their sensitivities to picking.
• The financial partners who enabled the completion of this project are the Government of Québec through the Projet de partenariat pour les milieux naturels (PPMN), the Government of Canada through the Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP), funded by the Canada Nature Fund, the municipality of Bolton-Est, the Fondation de la faune du Québec, the donors who contributed to the CVS fundraising campaign, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Echo Fondation. 

ABOUT

Projet de partenariat pour les milieux naturels (PPMN) du Gouvernement du Québec
The Projet de partenariat pour les milieux naturels (PPMN – Partnership for Natural Areas) is a three-year, $13-million grant to NCC by the ministère de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques. By investing in the establishment of financial partnerships with provincial conservation organizations, the program supports initiatives to protect ecologically significant natural areas. The partnership aims to develop and consolidate Quebec’s network of privately protected areas.

Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP)
The Government of Canada’s Natural Heritage Conservation Program (NHCP) is a unique public-private partnership to support new protected and conserved areas by securing private lands and private interests in lands. The program is managed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC). Federal funds invested in the program are matched with contributions raised by NCC and its partners, Ducks Unlimited Canada and the country’s land trust community.

Protéger les habitats fauniques program by the Fondation de la faune du Québec
The Protéger les habitats fauniques program by the Fondation de la faune du Québec aims to support high value habitat protection initiatives through the settlement of legal conservation agreements with private landowners. fondationdelafaune.qc.ca

Conservation des vallons de la Serpentine
CVS was born in 2006 from common values and a collective desire to protect a sector rich in natural areas and species. Today, more than 60 members support the cause and allow CVS to make headways. This commitment is unique and transcends through public récréo-educational activities on the richness of our forests and an annual celebration which has become inevitable and allows to unite individuals who are sensitive to environmental issues. CVS protects some 350 hectares of land, including 200 of which we are the title holders. The other hectares are comprised of conservation easements which were granted by private owners. All these lands are perpetually protected. conservationserpentine.org

Appalachian Corridor
Appalachian Corridor is a non-profit conservation organization founded in 2002 with a mission to protect natural areas in the Appalachian region of Southern Québec. Through the implementation of a cross-border conservation strategy, Appalachian Corridor works with local communities to maintain and restore a way of life that respects the ecology of the region from a perspective of sustainable development. To date, Appalachian Corridor and its 17 members have allowed the perpetual protection of 14 619 hectares on their territory of action. corridorappalachien.ca

CONTACT
Marie-Hélène Thibeault
Communications coordinator
Appalachian Corridor
579-488-6670